Self-Defense Shooting: WA Homeowner Shoots/Kills Intruder

A Washington man was shot and killed while drunkenly breaking into a home in what authorities are calling a self-defense shooting.

According to the Sammamish-Issaquah Patch, Joshua Shane Henderson, 30, of North Bend, Wash., was fatally shot after breaking into a North Bend home and began ransacking the house.

Police reports say the homeowner, a 46-year-old man, and his girlfriend were awakened by the the sound of glass breaking and could hear Henderson yelling, “Where are you?” and, “I’m going to kill you!”

The homeowner warned Henderson that he had a pistol and told Henderson to leave, then locked himself and his girlfriend in their bedroom. When Henderson kicked in the door, the homeowner shot and killed him.

“The resident showed quite a bit of restraint. He continued to yell at the suspect to leave the house and said he was armed,” said King County Sergeant Cindi West, calling the shooting a clear case of self-defense. “The couple even locked themselves in a room to try to avoid a confrontation. They had no way of knowing if the suspect was armed. The resident was clearly forced to shoot to defend himself and his girfriend.”

The King County Sheriff’s Office said Henderson had been out drinking with friends, and became increasingly aggressive as the night wore on. He and his friends were first asked to leave a Kirkland, Wash., comedy club, and as the night wore on, police said his behavior became so aggressive that he was kicked out of the car near Interstate 90 in Issaquah.

From there, police believe Henderson wandered into a convenience store, where a clerk said he was verbally harassing customers. He then attempted to break into a home, banging on windows and yelling to be let in. Deputies were called to the scene, but could not locate Henderson. Then, the police dispatcher alerted deputies that Henderson had been spotted at another home — his last stop of the night.

The Seattle Times reports that this wasn’t the first time Henderson had committed such a crime. In 2003, Henderson broke into the home of Linda Mackey through an unlocked window, stripped and smeared excrement all over the walls. He was arrested later at a neighbor’s trailer.